She Starts to Fall

Oof

Well, today's class was s**t; the teacher got mad at me for writing notes in class. I've never done it before, and it was for research purposes. For everyone no caught up on the story so far, there's this girl named Jenna, right? Okay so, her parents are really strict with her and don't want her flunking and tests and crap like that. Well, that means only getting As and A+s on tests. She ended up getting a B+ on her latest test. And by the sound of it, her parents were pissed. So, the notes were about that. The teacher didn't read the notes aloud; she just took them away. I never got it back. The person I passed it to was Michael. Luckily (and, for the plot to advance, conveniently), the next period was lunch. Michael and I agreed to meet outside via the notes we passed before I got caught.

So I went to my locker and took out my lunch box. I closed the locker door and casually walked down the hall. No, I wasn't trying to hide in with the crowd. I was just trying to not look too suspicious. I kept my eyes out for Jenna. And then I remembered where the first conversation took place: the lockers closest to the boys' bathroom. I was heading in that direction anyway. And then... bingo. Jenna was there. The hallways were starting to get emptier, so I didn't have to push through the crowd to get to her. I got closer, and I was shocked to see Alex sitting with her. My two crushes talking to--no, that's not the time to be thinking about that crap. Just like the first time, I walked into the bathroom and had my back against the wall to see if I could make out anything. It sounded like they were in the middle of a conversation, which explains some of the things I didn't understand. Here's what I was able to make out regardless:

"So, you're mom sent you to your room?" Alex asked.

"Yes... again. It's the fifth time this week," Jenna confessed.

"Fifth time this week? She can't be that bad at home. And she normally doesn't get B+s, so what the-"

"Well, just remember what I told you to do whenever you're stressed," Alex said in her oh-so-comforting--erm, what was I saying? Totally wasn't complimenting her.

"Right. Thanks," I heard Jenna get up and probably walk in the opposite direction of the bathroom.

Well, my job was done. I acquired some new information. Now I just have to meet up with Michael. I just gotta walk out of the bathroom like I didn't hear any--oof.

"Agh! Dammit, my books!" Alex blushed in anger and made her cute, angry, puffy face--dammit, why do I keep doing that.

"A-Alex! Look, I'm sorry, just let me please-"

"Damien? What the hell were you doing?"

"Taking a s**t in the bathroom? What else-"

She flicked her finger on my forehead, but this time it was done in pure anger and not in an adorable, teasing way. Oh f**k it I said it, alright?

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"You were eavesdropping on Jenna and I's conversation!" Alex was starting to not look cute when she was this angry.

"Eavesdropping? It could've just been a coincidence I probably overheard some things. Also, how did you know I even went into the bathroom? You seemed focused on your conversation."

"Well..." Alex seemed to be struggling with how to phrase it, "I... didn't really want to listen to Jenna."

"What?"

"That b***h thinks we're friends. But she's just way too annoying. So my eyes were wandering around as I was "listening" to her sob stories. I actually wanted to talk to you about something, so my eyes ended up finding you.."

"Am I blushing? I know what she meant when she phrased the sentence, but I can't help it.."

Alex flicked me on the forehead again and continued, "Now that she's gone, do you think I'm a bad person? You know, not listening to her... giving her bad advice..."

"Bad advice?" Alex has always given me good advice; it was the same with a lot of people, friends or not."

"Well, I'm telling her to find something to get her mind off her parents, so I suggested that she should..."

"Should do what?"

"She should just.. cut herself. She'll die a painful, but slow death from all the cuts.

What. The. f**k. This means I was too late; Jenna was already suicidal. Even worse, Alex is the one secretly driving her to suicide. It all depends on the blade, though. Jenna can die from infections if the blade gets dirty enough and all that stuff enters the cuts and.. ugh. Then again, Alex's dark, strategical way of thinking is a plus for--goddamit, this really isn't the time to be thinking about that, Damien. I finally spoke up after a long pause.

"Alex, that's... um... kind of a bitchy thing to do."

She got closer to me, made herself taller by standing on her toes, and kissed me on the cheek; the first kiss outside my family. Never knew it would be the possible kiss of death.

"W-what was that for?"

"Look, Damien," Alex looked like she was about to cry, "I don't want to get in trouble for driving Jenna to suicide, and surely you don't want me to expose you for eavesdropping to all of the conversations that have happened with Jenna, am I right? She told me that she heard you breathing when you first eavesdropped.

"Oh, I can't seem to breathe right, now can I?"

"Let's just keep this between us. I have enough blades to go around, and if you say anything to anyone, you're getting the cuts, too.

I dropped the books I promised to give back to Alex after she fell and ran. I just ran. I kept running and running. Running, running, running, running, running, running. Running from my heart~! But seriously, I did not want to die. I'm only twelve; being murdered by a teenager would be humiliating and it would scar my parents for life when it comes to teenagers.

I got a detention for running in the halls. I refused to give my reasoning and got detention for the rest of the month.